Corn Chowder

A big fan of soups, especially corn chowder, I decided to take advantage of the late-summer sweet corn and make a batch on a quiet evening. While it requires a good deal of veggies, it’s very simple to make (aren’t most soups?) and consistently treats my taste buds.

First, I started out with my veggies: corn (6 ears), 4 stalks of celery, 2 potatoes, a red bell pepper, an onion and 2 jalapenos. 

 I cut them all up into uniform little pieces and got them ready for the pot. 

 Meantime, I simmered the corn cobs in store-bought veggie stock to give it a deeper corn flavor and that did the trick. 

Next, I sautéed bacon in the soup pot and drained off the excess grease (yuck!). 

 Then, added the veggies – everything but the corn and potatoes – and let that soften for about 5-7 minutes. After they were simmering and soft, I added the corn and potatoes, in addition to a clove of garlic, a bay leaf, rosemary and thyme (and of course, salt & pepper).

After the flavors had a chance to marry, I poured in the broth (corn cob and all) and let that simmer for about a half hour (with the top on). I also added a pinch of cayenne, as a little bite is nice with this soup. 

 Once it was all simmered up, I removed the corn cobs and herbs. 

 Then, I went to work with the immersion blender and brought the soup to a nice, velvety texture. 

 The result was a sweet and spicy soup, as the corn lends a great, fresh, summery taste and the jalapeno (and cayenne) provides that fun and unexpected kick. 

 It’s been a much enjoyed lunch for work this week and I may have to make an extra batch before the summer comes to a close. 

Purslane

Great treats from last night’s CSA!

In addition to the staples, like cucumbers, beets and tomatoes, I got a new veggie, which I’d never heard of, purslane.

After looking it up on the trusty Wikipedia, I learned, “although purslane is considered a weed in the United States, it can be eaten as a leaf vegetable. It has a slightly sour and salty taste and is eaten throughout much of Europe, the Middle East, Asia, and Mexico. The stems, leaves and flower buds are all edible. Purslane can be used fresh as a salad, stir-fried, or cooked like spinach, and because of its mucilaginous quality it is also suitable for soups and stews.”

While I don’t yet know if it’s good (tasting), it is good for you and I learned that purslane contains more omega-3 fatty acids than any other leafy vegetable plant, in addition to other nutrients found in leafy greens.

I think I shall try something with it tonight and will report on the results!

Donut Peaches

Back from the blogging hiatus, as I’m re-adjusting to civilization, after an amazing week in Jamaica. There will be posts to come with pictures and stories, but for now, please enjoy the beauty of the donut (or Saturn) peach.

I Grabbed just a few of these babies from the New Amsterdam Market on Sunday, and after enjoying them last night, I wish I had more. Sweet, but not tart; ripe, but not mealy; they were a perfect evening snack. While I don’t need a Top 10 to want to eat them, I did find some interesting facts to share, thanks to Mother Earth News.

1. They taste better than other peaches. They're sweeter, with almond overtones.
2. They are lower in acid than other peaches.
3. The pit doesn't cling to the flesh, so it's easy to pop out with your thumb.
4. The fruit's thin, red skin has little or no fuzz, so it doesn't have to be peeled.
5. Their small size lends itself to being eaten out of hand.
6. The frost-hardy, highly pest- and disease-resistant trees are easy to grow in most areas.
7. You can count on Saturn peach trees to produce an abundant harvest up to twice as many peaches as other varieties.
8. The trees bloom earlier in the spring than other varieties, and put on an absolutely spectacular show of pink blossoms.
9. Most of the nursery stock is now grafted to dwarf roots, making easy work of pruning and harvesting.
10. By planting a rarer variety of peach, you are helping to preserve biodiversity and maintain diverse seed stocks for generations to come.

I’m heading to pick up CSA tonight and if they’re part of the harvest, I will be oh-so-happy!